Electronics – Mamanista!Fabulously Chic. Irresistably Practical.2017-12-13T20:16:14Zhttp://www.mamanista.com/feed/atomWordPresshttp://www.mamanista.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Mamanista-Favicon.pngDebbiehttp://mamanista.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=108732017-01-17T03:00:10Z2015-12-08T16:40:16ZI am sharing this post as part of a collaboration with Bloggin’ Mamas and Dove Channel. I received an annual Dove Channel subscription and a Roku in exchange for my participation. All opinions expressed are my own.

DOVE Channel

I was delighted to have the opportunity to preview the Dove Channel with my family. My boys are 7 and 4, and I am always looking for family-friendly entertainment options. Family viewing just got a whole lot safer with the recent debut of Dove Channel, the new direct-to-consumer over-the-top (OTT) digital streaming subscription service. A partnership between leading independent content distribution company Cinedigm Corp and The Dove Foundation™, Dove Channel is a subscription service available on mobile devices and smart TVs offering a vast library of handpicked family-friendly, faith-based and kids’ programming, with the assurance of safety and quality control at the viewer’s fingertips.

A subscription-based offering at $4.99 per month, the programming can be viewed across a broad spectrum of connected devices including Roku® Players and Roku TV™ models, Android and Mac iOS, Samsung Smart TV, the web, and mobile and tablet devices. Additionally, the channel can be viewed on multiple devices within each family.

Dove Channel carries out the purpose and investment that has been made for many years by The Dove Foundation™ to show credibility and trust for families nationwide. An obvious curator of faith and family content, The Dove Foundation™ is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging the entertainment industry to create, produce and distribute more movies and television shows that are appropriate for family viewing. Each month, hundreds of thousands of visitors rely on The Dove Foundation™ for up-to-date reviews of movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. Hand-in-hand with this philosophy, the foundation is also committed to helping the public easily identify family-friendly entertainment, encouraging them to show their support for this approved content. An OTT offering is the logical extension of this philosophy.

My boys enjoyed our Dove Channel preview, which enabled them to watch some children’s classics like Swiss Family Robinson, The Adventures of Black Beauty, and The Velveteen Rabbit as well as classic, family-friend TV like Highway to Heaven. We also have a Netflix subscription, but Dove was a nice addition and provided a lot of content not available on Netflix. I also appreciated the wide selection of Christmas movies, which will help us get into the spirit of the season. Above all, I appreciated having a channel full of family-friend options that I can feel safe sharing with my boys.

Subscribe!

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And Now For The Giveaway

Give­away begins December 2nd, 2015 at 6:01 pm EST and ends December 16th, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST.
Open to US res­i­dents age 18 and older.
Win­ner will be selected by Random.org and be noti­fied by email.
See Give­away Tools wid­get below for full terms & conditions.

Dis­clo­sure: Blog­gin’ Mamas is host­ing this give­away and the Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment. While I received the items mentioned above, all opinions expressed are my own.

]]>4Mamanistahttp://mamanista.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=95342013-12-19T05:08:31Z2013-12-19T05:08:31ZMy kids are a bit on the young side but my husband really enjoyed the littleBits Base Kit ($99) that came in the mail for us to review and I know he’ll be using it with the kids as they get a bit older. This kit is an electronics construction kit that allows you to easily connect pieces without soldering, programming or wiring and yet create things that spin, light up and make sounds.

The Base Kit includes:

a 9V battery

a re-usable case

the motorMate for easy attachment of wheels, cardboard and other materials to the DC motor.

We found it easy to initially pull out the pieces and quickly make things light and spin. I love some of the projects of my fellow bloggers who took the construction to the next level like the light controlled car built by my friend Candace and her sons or Valerie who made her own flashlight – how cool is that?

littleBits come in Base, Premium and Deluxe Kits which add increasingly more circuitry to build bigger and more complex projects. Bits intuitively snap together with magnets making the projects foolproof! To simplify the process, bits are color-coded into four categories (blue/power, pink/input, green/output and orange/wires).

We found it very easy to put a simple line of bits together and make things happen but I know there is soooo much more here and we certainly have plans to keep working with the kit over the coming holidays — when we have a bit of a break from the craziness of the season.

Use the following coupon code to get started on your own unique project with littleBits:MAMANISTA COUPON CODE: 10% off any Exploration Kit with code mama10 (expires on 12/31/13)

(Disclosure: I received a Base Kit for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

]]>0Mamanistahttp://mamanista.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=84992013-04-29T19:55:52Z2013-04-29T19:55:52ZI had the wonderful opportunity to head to NYC for an exclusive blogger event at Dwell Studio sponsored by HP. If you have a home office like I do, then chic is NOT the word describe it. It’s more like a whirlwind of books, papers, wires and random kids’ toys. This event was the perfect opportunity to learn some new ways to clear the clutter, get organized and decorate the space for an optimum level of concentration and creativity!

Dwell Studio founder Christiane Lemieux gave us great advice on color, texture and style. Sure I think about those things for the rest of my home, but my office has always kind of been an afterthought. We were asked to bring in photos of our homes offices and I was pleasantly surprised that many of the other bloggers had some of the same issues as me. We were able to print out our photos on the amazing HP Photosmart 6520 e All-in-One printer (so I could see our hideous office in a crystal clear color print ha!).

I share the office with my husband, so we have several bookcases filled with (mostly his) books lining the far side wall. We have a desk with a desktop PC, a fax machine/printer/scanner combo as well as a phone. Technically speaking, not a bad setup, but it could use improvement on the décor. Dwell asked us to create a “design board” on the types of improvements we’d like to make. After taking a good hard look at our office and its current state, there are quite a few improvements that could be made. A good de-cluttering session is at the baseline of updating the home office. Keeping the office “toy free” needs to be a priority (our kids have the whole basement, their rooms and pretty much the rest of the house at their disposal). Next, updating the color palette and décor would really make all the difference. I am kind of obsessed with the mint trend and it would be just the shade the office needs. Having 2 separate smaller desks with chairs would enable both of us to work in there and keep our papers organized. While there is no direct access to natural light, we do have recessed lighting, which is ideal. Cleaning out the bookcases to get rid of what’s not useful (or sentimental) would free up room for some decorative pieces like candles, book ends and small prints. I’d also get some small plants, art prints for the wall and maybe a small fountain for my desk (I need the extra Zen!).

These relatively inexpensive fixes would make such a difference in the look and feel of our office. As a gift for coming to the event, HP supplied us with our own HP Photosmart 6520 e All-in-One printer (I practically squealed in delight!). This printer is AMAZING; it prints wirelessly, is a duplex printer, has individual ink cartridges (so you only need to replace each one as they run out), is web connected with App access, has on-the-go wireless direct print and e-fax capabilities. I immediately brought it into my work office as we do a decent amount of photo printing there. Take a look at this beauty!

My office will be the chicest place in town!!! Thanks Dwell and HP!

disclosure: I attended an event and was given products as a thank you for attending. As always, all opinions are my own.

]]>1Candacehttp://naturallyeducational.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=82182017-01-17T08:38:11Z2013-02-25T19:54:16ZAmazing. When I was a child, few families had a personal computer. No one had cell phones. Now, we coordinate play dates with apps, keep in touch with grandparents via video chat, and do homework on tablets.

What happens when your electronics are too broken to fix or obsolete? Tossing them adds to the landfill and is wasteful–some of the components and precious metals may be reusable. Plus, many electronics contain hazardous or toxic chemicals. You don’t want your electronics going into the landfill and poisoning the environment. Best Buy has a free electronics recycling program at every Best Buy location in Puerto Rico and the U.S. This program will safely and responsibly dispose of your electronics, no matter where you bought them or how old they are–at no cost to you!

The number of electronics in my house increases every year. Just a short time ago, we had a regular cell phone, one television with a DVD player, and a desktop computer. Now, we have two flat screen televisions (one of which has a Roku and a DVR), two DVD players, a smart phone, two tablets, three laptops, and a mini laptop and assorted other devices. And we are probably on the lower side of electronics in middle class families in America. According to the EPA, Americans own about 24 electronic products per family. All those electronics mean a lot of electronic waste–6 million tons in 2010.

Around the holidays, I dropped my old iPhone. Fortunately, I qualified for an upgrade so it made more sense to get a new model than to pay $50 to fix my cracked screen. In the meantime, the old one has been sitting around while I try to figure out what to do with it. Staring at the broken screen on top of our cabinet is bugging my husband but we don’t want to just toss the device in the garbage. Now, I plan to take the phone over to Best Buy for recycling. This way I know that it will be disposed of safely and responsibly!

Have you ever recycled your electronics at Best Buy?

Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

]]>3Candacehttp://naturallyeducational.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=80252017-01-17T05:13:49Z2012-12-12T14:21:58ZWow! A rare coupon code for the Amazon.com Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD. If you are an Amazon Mom member with Prime (which I highly recommend…totally has paid for itself) and you have the Kindle on your Holiday shopping list (there’s still time for Chanukah and plenty of time for Christmas with Prime shipping!), your membership is about to pay off big-time!

We live in a technological age, and many of the Must Have gifts for the people in our lives are gadgets. Kids included! Many kids are looking for mp3 players, iPads and other devices to listen to music on or play games. Thankfully, there are more and more electronic gifts that serve an educational purpose, and we can look forward to handing them over to our children.

Our family recently had the opportunity to try out the VINCI Tablet. This device is a tablet-based learning system powered by Android, and integrates the latest mobile technology. The best part? It is a tablet for toddlers!

The VINCI Tablet uses the VINCI curriculum, which is designed specifically for the intellectual development of toddlers. Some of the growth aspects include: thinking skills, social understanding, emotional understanding, language, literacy, math skills and more. The aim of the curriculum is to take kids from “Curious” to “Confident” to “Capable.”

My 18 month old loves the VINCI tablet. He uses it for 5-10 minutes a day, generally when he sees his older brother playing on the iPad. The tablet has great parental controls, and comes ready with age-appropriate apps for children ages 18 months and up. The apps are simple and educational (such as a piano or drum app, a Farm app , apps that teach new words, etc). The design of the VINCI tablet is clearly geared toward young kids: easy to hold and durable!

WIth the holidays approaching, this would absolutely be a perfect gift for a toddler or preschooler in your life. For more information, go to http://www.vincigenius.com

]]>1Debbiehttp://mamanista.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=75952017-01-17T07:31:31Z2012-10-02T15:09:41Z If there wasn’t enough drama on Facebook, a new game called Tail Towns Friends by Ganz is taking the gaming world by storm with intriguing story lines, fun interactive goals and a little mystery and suspense built in. I’ll confess that I am not a fan of Facebook games, but I do enjoy Tail Towns Friends, which was specifically designed with the preferences of female games as a top priority.

One of the truly fun elements of Tail Towns Friends is the ability to buy actual character figurines as pictured below. With each unique figurine (MSRP $14), you receive a secret code. You can also purchase a virtual character without actually having to buy the figurine itself if you like. If you haven’t played the game, you might be wondering why anyone would want to do that. However, once you have played for a bit, you realize that other players are decorating with items you can’t seem to access at any level of the game.

Ah ha! And, the light dawns. Each figurine’s secret code unlocks both a unique story line with its own goal in the game AND something fun to add to your growing orchard which you can’t get without having bought the related figurine.

When you start the game, you are “given” an somewhat run-down orchard that needs sprucing up and decorating. Your public score is based on your “decor” points based on items added to your land bought with the acorns you receive as “cash” for harvesting fruit, vegetables, flowers, etc. By going into town, you can sell your goods and interact with “businesses” in the town of Greenwood City to get additional acorns and reputation points.

You receive new permits for additional land by building “reputation” points from visiting other people and promoting the businesses in town. It helps to get to know other people playing the game so that you can visit a larger number of orchards to harvest their produce, flowers, flour, grain, quartz, etc.!

Below is a somewhat advanced orchard with a lot going on. You can see a small box with a picture of an acorn. As you play the game, you will recognize this symbol as a source of more acorns and something you should click on if you have the energy.

In terms of game play, the game is fairly easy to understand. At the top, you have a number of progress bars you can click on to see where you are in terms of energy, decor, reputation, experience, produce harvesting, etc. You can also learn where to buy figurines in your area if available.

At the bottom, you will want to explore all the tabs so you know how to visit friends, visit downtown, move items, sell items, maximize your screen, receive gifts and awards, etc.

As you play, various characters will talk to you. Although you can play the game without memorizing who is in competition with who in the land of Tail Towns Friends, it helps to understand upcoming plots if you actually read what the characters are saying and get to know their various personalities.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the game is the ability to decorate a beautiful garden, which is very relaxing at the end of a stressful day. Gaming for 10 or 15 minutes here or there helps me unwind once the kids are in bed and I’ve finished all my work projects for the day. Yes, I admit, I’m hooked! See you in Tail Towns.

On October 9th, join me, fellow bloggers and Facebook gamers in a Tail Towns Twitter Party for a chance to win nearly $1000 in prizes to pamper yourself (gift certificates for beauty stores and spa treatments). My Twitter handle is @buzzmommy, and you also can follow @teammommedia for more info on the Twitter party and other contests in the Tail Towns Facebook community where you can meet other fans of the game, make friends and win thousands in prizes during October and November.

{Disclosure: I received two figurines to review the game for this post, and I also work on the social media team for Ganz. All thoughts and opinions are my own.}

]]>1Debbiehttp://mamanista.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=71702017-01-17T05:03:47Z2012-08-21T03:13:03ZPreserving my family’s memories is important to me, and I’ve spent many happy hours scrapbooking. Unfortunately, some of the most precious documents are not on acid-free paper. I recently received a Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator to review, and I’m using it to preserve my children’s artwork, memorable school assignments and newspaper clippings.

Newspaper clippings are among the most difficult items to scrapbook due to high amounts of both lignin and acid in newsprint. The lignin and acid turn newsprint brittle and yellow over time. The acid in the newspaper clipping can even affect the rest of the scrapbook page.

I’ve scanned particularly precious newspaper clips to preserve them digitally, but I still want to include these items in scrapbooks. Laminating newspaper clippings is not recommended if you are trying to preserve the items for sale to collectors as the lamination reduces the historic value of the newspaper. However, laminating is a great way to include personal items such as graduation announcements, engagement photos or civic awards in scrapbooks as the lamination prevents the paper from damaging the rest of the scrapbook and also keeps the newsprint from becoming brittle over time. I was able to use the Fellowes Laminator to preserve some newspaper clippings that have sentimental value to our family. It is easy to include the laminated clippings in scrapbook layouts.

If I had unlimited space, I would keep all of my children’s artwork and school papers forever. To prepare for the new school year, I sorted through the box containing my son’s artwork and school papers from last year. I selected my favorites to keep and scanned the remaining artwork to keep a digital copy. I also wanted to laminate some of our favorite sketches and early writing samples for display or for inclusion in our family scrapbooks.

Since the Fellowes Laminator so easy-to-use, I was actually able to include my 4 1/2 year old son in the process. First, we inserted the paper into the “laminating pouch” and then we fed the pouch (sealed-side first) into the laminator. The Fellowes Laminator has “Heat-Guard” technology which keeps it cool to the touch, so I didn’t have to worry about burns. This is definitely an adult-supervision project, but it was not unsafe. We also had fun using the laminator on some art projects. We made placements and bookmarks featuring my son’s artwork. Next, we plan to make a pretend drivers license, pretend money and pretend credit cards for him to use playing “store.”

We still haven’t run out of fun things to do with our new laminator. If we do encounter a shortage of ideas, Fellowes also has a Laminating Idea Center with fabulous ideas for craft projects, flash cards and educational tools. If you’d like to purchase the Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator at Staples, you can reach $30 off the regular price of $159.99 using coupon code 87298. I’d always wanted my own laminator because I’m such a scrapbooking fan. If one of your passions is preserving your family history, I’d highly recommend the Fellowes Saturn2 95. While there are fancier models, this model was easy-to-use and relatively affordable compared to some others I’ve seen in stores.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Fellowes and received a product sample to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

]]>2Candacehttp://naturallyeducational.comhttp://www.mamanista.com/?p=70642017-08-23T08:25:02Z2012-08-08T12:30:30ZLeapFrog sent their new LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer for my family to review. We checked out some of the differences between this device and the original LeapPad and tested its functions and apps. If you are wondering whether to get a LeapPad2, just let your kids use your iPad, or skip tablets for kids altogether, here’s our take:

My educational philosophy is that outdoor activity and play is key for very young children. Despite being high-tech in my professional life, the early childhood teaching techniques I advocate are decidedly Pre-Industrial. Yet there are places where a thoughtful use of technology can enhance learning.

Initial studies show that using a tablet can boost literacy scores in Kindergarteners and help children on the Autism spectrum improve their communication skills. The idea that tablets can help reluctant learners or provide a reliable and safe learning interaction for children makes a lot of sense.

What doesn’t make sense to a lot of families, however, is handing a $400 device over to a young child, even with a super-rugged cover. Also problematic is sharing a device the adults need for work and communication with a kid who is just beginning to grasp the concept of taking turns. Another concern is an Internet connection that lets your kids veg out on the entertainment equivalent of junkfood, see inappropriate content, or “accidentally” rack up bills buying game points or new apps.

The LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer restores parental control to the equation. To download apps, the LeapPad must be connected to the computer. All the apps and games are created by LeapFrog, a company that is practically synonymous with educational tech toys. And the LeapPad 2 is even more durable than its predecessor so your three year old can hog it without you worrying about getting it back destroyed…or not at all.

Here’s what you get with the LeapPad 2. I’ve highlighted the main differences between the original LeapFrog LeapPad and the LeapPad 2:

LeapPad2 Explorer Learning Tablet (4GB Memory, double the original)

2 Built-in Cameras & Video Recorders (the LeapPad 2 has a front and back camera; the original has only one camera in back)

Extended battery life (about 1 additional hour)

Faster processor (550 MHz, compared to 393 MHz on the original)

LeapFrog Learning Songs App (5 Songs Included)

Pet Pad Writing App

Cartoon Creativity App

Art Studio App

Free App Download

USB Cable

There is also a recharger available separately for purchase, a welcome change to the original since these devices are total battery drainers.

Just about the only drawback to the LeapPad 2 is the cost of cartridges and apps. To someone of my generation, this is not a deal-breaker. Younger parents, used to cheap and free apps on smart phones, might balk, however, at the recurring cost of purchasing additional games. Plus, the cartridges can be traded or resold.

The games available on the LeapPad is what truly distinguishes it from the pack, however. Although there are definitely winners out there, a lot of free and cheap apps for smart phones and adult tablets are hastily thrown together and provide little educational value. With LeapFrog, parents know they are getting appropriate and pedagogically correct content for their kids.

Plus, some of the games “auto-level”, adjusting the difficulty to challenge each child. A few games even allow parents to customize the device with math sets and spelling lists from school.

As with adult tablets, kids can play LeapPad games using the stylus, the touch screen, and the built-in motion sensor.

Kids’ interests are often character-driven and so my daughter’s favorite is the LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra eBook Adventure Builder: Disney Fairies: Tink’s Midnight Tea Party: in this game, she can read the story at three different levels, make choices that affect the story, and play games. There are different modes (read the book to me, read the page to me, and read it myself). You can also record yourself reading the book, a great option for parents and grandparents who live far away.

The ever popular Pet Pad app comes with the LeapPad and allows kids to practice writing while playing with their virtual pet.

My kids are also big fans of the Disney Pixar Brave Cartridge, a first-person adventure game in which the player moves Merida to solve science puzzles. The variety of different science activities (learning about life cycles, experimenting with physics) is very engaging.

My personal favorite is the LeapPad Creativity App: Disney Animation Artist: Mickey and Friends. I really enjoy trying to draw Mickey and his buddies with the stylus and think this is a great game for future artists and Disney fans of all ages.

The addition of Little Pim language videos is the start of a beautiful relationship and I am hoping the two companies will develop some interactive language learning content.

The bottom line is that you will get an excellent learning tool with plenty of high quality content if you are willing to invest in apps and cartridges.

As a mom, there are so many things I look for when shopping for new appliances. I want them to clean themselves, be sleek and nice looking, easy to use and produce things that are not only fat free, but something that the entire family can enjoy.

So-let’s be real. There probably isn’t a product out there that can accomplish my lofty goals. However, I was lucky enough to find one that comes relatively close. Actifry is a nice looking contraption. It comes in neutral black or white and is shiny with a transparent lid. This means it looks good in a kitchen and cuts down on mess. By cooking in my Actifry there was only one piece of equipment that needed to be cleaned.
Actifry is a multi-use machine. We all know that frying food is not only a poor choice for kids delicate digestive systems, but for our overall family’s health. Actifry is innovative in that it creates the same general cooking goal through use of one tablespoon or less of oil! It also can create anything from roasted sunflower seeds to soups and sauces to noodles or even a warm salad.

I personally tried out the Actifry in making a family favorite: french fries. We put a special twist on this classic side dish by using sweet potatoes and the fries turned out better than I’ve ever made before! They were easy to eat guilt free and I didn’t feel bad about serving them with dinner and letting my kids enjoy them. Actifry turned out to be super easy to use and I already have plenty of other recipes I’m looking forward to trying out the next time I have guests over or simply want a low fat, easy cook option.

GIVEAWAY: You can get an Actifry of your own (normally valued at $249)! Visit the Actifry recipe page and once you’ve browsed through the options, leave a comment on this post with a recipe of your own that you’d like to cook if you win one.

Disclosure: I received a free Actifry for the purposes of this review and compensation for administering an Actifry giveaway. However, all opinions are my own.